PERSONAL MATTERS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 151, 23 December 1921, Page 8

PERSONAL MATTERS

The Prime Minister will probably he leaving Wellington early next week to spend ! a portion of the holidays in the Auckland district. He will, be present at the official opening of the Waiuku Railway on sth January. ,

Mr. W. H. Morton, City Engineer, has gone to Australia, where he will spend a holiday of about three weeks.

Mr: A. E. Entrican, Engineer in Forest Products of the State Forest Service,: is on an official visit to Westland. ■ , ,

Mr. H. M. Peacock and Mr. S. A. Noble-Campbell have been, appointed school dental officers, the lOrmer for the Wellington district and the latter for Timaru. :.'

Mr. Moses. Ayrton, national secretary of the New Zealand Labour Party, has returned to Wellington after a successful tour in the Canterbury and Nelson provinces.

Dr. J. W. Hall, who is now studying in England, and was formerly of Otago University and the Dunedin Hospital, has been appointed medical superintend-, ent of the Whangarei Hospital. He will be cabled for to take up his duties in February.

Mr. W. W. Gabites, accountant for the Invercargill branch of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has been promoted to the head office at 'Wellington, and expects to arrive here early in the Ntew Year. Mr. E. Inglis, of the Gore branch, will succeed Mr. Gabites in Invercargill.

Mr. A. G. Lather, of Thompson-street, whose death occurred this week, wae a very popular member of the chorus of the Royal Choral Union. He was taken ill while returning from Hawkes Bay last week, and his death followed an operation for appendicitis. He leaves a widow and grown-up family. Mr! C. C. Webb, chairman of the committee, represented the Choral Union at the funeral, which took place yesterday.

The remains of the late Mr. Paul Coffey were interred at Karori Cemetery yesterday afternoon, a large gathering being present to pay their last respects to the memory of the deceased, inn-d----ing representatives of the Harbour Board and the various shipping companies. The chief mourners were Messrs. Newman Coffey and Paul Coffey (sons of the deceased), and P. Morris, J. Parry, and James Rod (sons-in-law). Many telegrams of sympathy with the deceased's relatives, and floral tributes were received from all parts of the Dominion.

Appreciative references to the valuable work done by Mr. W. E. Chisholm as secretary to the Red .Cross Society during the last three years were made by members of the New Zealand Executive at its meeting yesterday, and the following, resolution was passed: "The executive desires to place on record its appreciation of the splendid services rendered.to the society by the retiring secretary, and expresses its regret that his efficient and willing services will no longer be ■ available." Captain Galloway, M.C, late of the • Vocational Department, has been appointed as secretary for the coming, year.

Sir Francis Bell, Leader of the Legislative Council, who is leaving shortly for England, was on Wednesday presented by members of the Council with an illuminated address and roll of members of the Council. The presentation was made by the Speaker, the Hon. W. C. F. Carncross, who referred to the manner in which Sir Francis had carried out the duties of Acting-Prime Minister, and His courtesy and straightforwardness with deputations. Othen members of the Council endorsed the Speaker's eulogy of their leader's qualities. Sir Francis Bell made a brief but feeling acknowledgment of the honour done him.

Sir Charles Ma—Cellar,, president of the Bank of New South Wales, referred at the recent meeting of shareholders to the loss the bank had sustained by the death of Sir John Russell French, K.B;E., for twenty-seven years general manager of the great institution. He was a man much above the average iri strength pf character and ability, andthe loss of his public-spirited energy would long be felt throughout the State, both in connection with the bank and otherwise. The board had granted to the widow, Lady French, the sum of £10,000 over and above the amount she was entitled to from the Officers' Provident Fund, which is £1000 a year for five years from the date of Sir John's death.

Reference to the death of Mr., Paul Coffey, one of the original members of the Wellington Harbour Board, was made by Mr. J. G. Harkness (chairman) at this week's meeting of the board, and the'following motion was carried: "That this board places on record its regret at the decease of Mr. Paul Coffey, one of the pioneer members of the board, and one who during the whole period of his long residence in Wellington closely identified himself with, all' movements having fqr their object the welfare and advancement of the port.. Tlie board further directs that this resolution be recorded in the minutes, and that a copy thereof, together with the board's .condolences, be forwarded to the deceased gentleman's widow and family,"

News was received in Wellington this, morning of the death at Napier yester-. day of Mr. E. B. Nation, until recently head accountant for Levin and Co. at Wellington. The late. Mr., Nation was the youngest son ;of the late Colonel Nation, H.E., 1.C.5.,, and was bornat Patna, India. On. the father's retirement from the Indian Army the family came out to New Zealand, and the late Mr. Nation joined1 the .staff of the National Bank, being later transferred to Wellington., He "joined the service of Levin and Co. some forty-years ago. In his younger days the late Mr. Nation was keenly interested in athletics, especially, yachting and rowing. He leaves a widow, a daughter of the late Mr. A. K. Ohurton, of Auckland, and three daughters,; Mrs. Noel Bamford. of Auckland, and the Misses Nation.. The funeral is taking place at Napier today.

The death has occurred of one of the men (Mr. Walter Bruce, of Auckland), closely associated with tho early days of newspapers in New Zealand. Mr. Bruce, who, since discontinuing active newspaper work, has kept his connection with tho life by acting as messenger to the Parliamentary Press .Gallery, died in his bath at Parliamentary Buildings last night. As a boy he entered the Southern Cross, ■ one of Auckland's earliest papers, and continued with the New Zealand Herald when it took over the other concern. Practically the whole of his newspaper life was spent as shipping reporter of the Herald, a capacity in which his interest in a seafaring life served him well. Many important items of shipping news found their way first into the New Zealand Herald as the result of his efforts, one of his best "scoops" being the story of the wreck of the Wairarapa. Full of reminiscence! of' the early, strenuous days of newspaper life in New Zealand, he was a constant source of interest to the younger generation, While his knowledgo of the many sides of the business made him invaluable to the members of the Press Gallery.' Mr. Bruce was to have left to-day for his home in Auckland, where he leaves a widow and a grown-up family. His death, which apparently came as the result of heart failure, means a personal locs to bin many friends.